Greenpeace says New Zealand\u2019s water regulations need to be updated to prevent dairy expansion and end the intensification of livestock farming across the country.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, 12 protesters locked themselves onto diggers and other machinery, disrupting the development of a new mega-dairy farm that plans to put 15,000 cows at Simon\u2019s Pass, right next to Lake P\u016bkaki.<\/p>\n
Environment Minister David Parker is re-writing the regulations around freshwater and agricultural pollution, due to be released later this year.<\/p>\n
Greenpeace sustainable agriculture campaigner, Genevieve Toop, said weak rules were precisely the reason why mega-dairy farms like the one planned for Simons Pass could still get legal consent.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis new mega farm is a shameful example of how the rules to protect our rivers and our environment from industrial dairying are failing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe proposed farm is expected to leach tens of thousands of kilograms of nitrate pollution into the Mackenzie\u2019s vulnerable lakes and rivers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fish and Game \u00a0have prepared a proposed National Policy Statement on freshwater, with input from Forest and Bird, Greenpeace, WWF and others.<\/p>\n
This proposal includes a demand to make dairy conversions and livestock intensification a prohibited activity, effective immediately, at least until proper freshwater plans have been deployed across all regions.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the Government is serious about cleaning up our rivers, they must ban all new dairy conversions and end the intensification of livestock farming across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n
Greenpeace believes the way forward for farming is through \u2018Regenerative Farming\u2019 \u2013 working with the environment rather than against it.<\/p>\n
ENDS<\/p>\n
Contacts<\/b><\/p>\n
Gen Toop, Sustainable Agriculture campaigner 021 316 840<\/p>\n
Nick Young, Head of communications 021 707 727<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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